Customer service focus swings to what Ford owners need, car-maker says

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I remember Bill Osbourne saying something interesting regarding the disconnect with past Ford buyers,
there's a lot of good will from Ford supporters for the latest products but the opinion seems to be,

" great products but not built for me"......

Try as they may, I don't think Ford has managed that reconnection with falcon and Territory,
instead focusing on growing volume with Ford's imported global products like Focus Fiesta and now Kuga.

Gotta wonder what the future holds, Ford is keeping their end of the bargain with refreshed Falcon and Territory,
reducing prices to very attractive levels but buyers still seem to be staying away.....

Its true Ford haven't reconnected with customers, because they haven't take the hard yards. Sorting out the dealer network, putting better quality components in their local cars to ensure longevity and reliability and standing by their local products properly when it comes to warranty and after sales support. People don't just buy a new car, they buy the whole package. On that front Ford still is uncompetitive and hasn't done enough to win back old buyers.

The imports Ford bring in are propping up the lost sales to old customers with new ones, but not really doing much more. This initiative from Ford is a start, but a long way to go yet. If they are serious about winning back old customers, it will take years of first class service to undo the bad reputation they and their dealers have earn't them. There isn't any quick fix I can see.

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

But that's the thing, Ford is selling Falcons and Territory but not at a level people would like to see.
So should they throw away more profit to get sales numbers up or be happy with where they are?

Most dealerships rely more on servicing and parts sales than sales of new vehicles but all are important.

I think the problem Ford is trying to tackle right now, is that with less sales, you have less customers for servicing - the bread and butter of most dealerships. With less customers, Ford franshises become a whole lot less appealing. Attention is switched to other brands the dealer carries, corners are cut on the Ford side of the business and the situation gets worse.

Now while it is nonsensical to me, the drop in sales hasn't lead dealers to rethink how they treat the customer in the service bay. I suspect Ford dealers historically have had a very high burn rate in servicing. That is they make a lot of Ford owners unhappy and send them effectively to other workshops. When you are selling the large number of Falcons that Ford once did, that probably didn't matter. Now of course every service lost, really hurts the business.

Ford tried fixed price servicing, but if the servicing is still from the same crummy dealer franchise, why would most customers bother? Hence the statement you cant buy customers.

So we have a situation where business practices and attitudes to customers effectively stink at many franchises, which is apparently enough for the dealers to whine to Ford Australia, but not enough for them to actually get off their collective bums and fix the problem. Even if they did, I genuinely doubt many of them would accept that it took them years to earn the reputation they have and will take twice as many to fix it. The egos wouldn't allow it.

Personally I don't think Ford Aust can fix this one, its too ingrained in these dealer principals. If the current poor sales haven't got them to act on this problem properly, nothing will. The only solution is to call in the lawyers, tear up the franchises and start again. They need fresh blood, people not from the car industry historically, who understand the needs of customers. Ford should mentor them and they will get a better return in the end. That said a more customer focused dealer network, would also challenge Ford Australia too and some of their practices, which are also counter productive to customer loyalty and retention.

So maybe this is all about being seen to do something about the problem, but not actually fixing it? Time will tell if this guy is serous and if he has any real support to do anything. I hope for the brand and for the jobs of many who depend on Ford, this is the start of a wake up call.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

Ford tried fixed price servicing, but if the servicing is still from the same crummy dealer franchise, why would most customers bother? Hence the statement you cant buy customers.

They may as well call it "fixed price", they say capped price as that is the most they will charge, but in reality I have only ever been charged the top rate, and they play with the numbers to make it fit.

The whole capped price scheme is rubbish, Ford are trying to look like the good guys but in the end are using it to charge $200 an hr to do basic logbook servicing.

That's right, you also get "free" roadside assistance... Which I found they forgot to give me when I called to get a battery installed while out of town..

So Ford want to keep its customers happy? Knock 30% of its servicing costs (or better still charge the going rate x the time the book says is needed, make 5yrs warranty standard and make dealers and salespeople more accountable for their actions when it hurts the brand.

[usernametaken]

You guys from Sunbury should go to Eclipse.

Nothing short of Amazing CS on the sales floor and out the back (actually, especially out the back)

The service Dept. will be getting a slab from me this Xmas.

[GTP534]

I've really got no complaints with Sinclair Ford.

The first car we bought from them was a BA GT-P in 2003, followed by a Territory Ghia in 2009 and the R-Spec in 2012.

Servicing has always been a pleasure and any warranty issues have been dealt with quickly and no fuss.

This was a big factor in deciding to buy the R-Spec from them. I could have saved maybe $1K to $1.5K going to another Ford Dealer at the time, and I did consider the 300 SRT8 at one stage, but as they are close to home and always give me the time of day I stuck with them.

Before 2003 we had a BA II XR8 from Thomson Ford and again I would not fault them service wise either.

Jim